A Demographic Study of Changes in Nuptiality patterns in Korea

한국인의 초혼 연령 Pattern의 변동에 관한 인구학적 연구

The purposes of this paper is to introduce a technique for construction of nuptiality tables using proportion single of synthetic cohorts between times at two consecutive censuses, and to observe patterns of change in marriage habit of Korean through the nuptiality tables for single population from 1925 to 1980. In this paper abridged gross and net nuptiality tables for single population of Korea have been constructed for the four quinquinial period: 1925-1930, 1955-1960, 1970-1975, and 1975-1980. Significant time trend has been observed in the nuptiality rates among the single population. The major findings observed in each table are as follows; (1)During 1925-1930, the rates are initially small, but increase rapidly until they reach a maximum at ages 25-29 for bachelors and 20-24 for spinsters, following which they are still in high level. (2)During 1955-1960, the age pattern of nuptiality begins to change; for female population, the rates increase rapidly in the same pattern as in l925-l930 untill they reach the highest level at ages 25-29, after which they gradually decline. During the period, however, there were an unprecedented high level of marriage rates for male population at a relatively later ages. (3)During 1970-1975, Korea had experienced a transition in marriage habits; at this times, nuptiality rates for both sexes showed the same pyramid shaped patterns as in western countries as age increases. The mean ages at marriage for both sexes also reached the highest level of 27.5 years for males and 24.1 years for females. (4)During 1975-1980, the age patterns of nuptiality showed almost the same patterns as in 1970-1975. In the later age group, however, age-specific marriage rates for both sexes greatly declined compared to the level of 1970-1975, while the rate in age group of 20-24 for male population greatly increased.